1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of machines for handling filamentary or fiber optic cables and in particular to a pneumatic shoe and capstan design for paying out filament at high speed. The terms filament and fiber optic cable as used herein have the same meaning and include very small filaments such as optical fibers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the course of optically testing filamentary or fiber optic cable for various types of applications it is necessary to pay out the cable at a very high speed in a laboratory or test enviroment. The problem is to apply a sufficient force to a fiber optic cable to pull it from a supply reel or other supply source and to move it at a high rate of speed to or through a test station. The force must be applied to the filament in such a manner that damage or distortion to the cable is avoided and without applying any permanent strains to the cable, abrading or otherwise blemishing the optical surface of the fiber optic cable, or otherwise affecting its optical properties.
Therefore, what is needed is a methodology and apparatus whereby a force may be gently and uniformly applied to filament with a sufficiently high magnitude that enough tensile force can be applied to the filament to pull it at a high rate of speed without damaging, nicking, kinking, abrading or otherwise applying a distorting or degrading force to the filament.